THE LAKES DISTRICT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 595, 12 September 1873, Page 2

THE LAKES DISTRICT.

(from our correspondent. ) Arrowtown, Sept. 9. We have experienced a great deal of wet and stormy weather lately, so much so that it is almost a return to winter again. In the matter of water supply to the miners nothing could be more advantageous. Every creek and rivulet is running ils full quantity, and where damages occasioned by the frosts have been repaired work is going on swimmingly. The roads, as a matter of course, continue execrable, while as to this township, it is almost impossible to get in or out of it for mud. Happily for us, there is a move to incorporate the place, which it is to be hoped will prove successful, a numerously signed petition on the matter having aluady been tiar.su.iUed to the Government. Joint-stock mining cm j anies appear to be loming into favor again— no quartz this time, but all alluvial. There are two for winking the bed of the Allow River, said to eelitain “ Intie ns of gold," but cn'y tvquiring the necessary “ spondulix” to extract it. 'there ought most certainly to ho a large r.mi.i nt of the precious metal remaining in the river, as that part fn in tl.e Bush Creek downwards was never worked, for want of proper appliances, notwithstanding that gold was already in sight. Next We have the Arrow River Water-race Company, at V\ hitechapel, formed to vvoik the terraces at the junction of the Anow with the Kawarau River. The ground beta i» at present held by agricultural leaseholders, hut their leases fall out in the course of a few months, when an immense aieaof payable auriferous deposits will be accessible to the operations of the miner. duel has been a pretty scarce commodity this winter and a rise in price has been the consequence. Firewood, on account of the bad state of the weather, has been inaccessible in the ranges, while that obtamed from Lake Wakatip has on y been in precarious and uncertain supplies. Coals from the Kawarau have been almost ditto, on account of the bad state of the roads. It is a gi‘ at pity that W e cannot find coal somewhere in the immediate neighborhood of the town. It will prove an inesiimahie boon to the inhabitants Things here, as everywhere e’se, arc dull this winter, but this state of ailuirs must be expected at this particular season of the year, in consequence of so many of that portion of tiro producing population kuovn as the gold-miners being in a state of enforced idleness. An agricultural leaseholder, writing to the “ Wakatip Mail” of last week, attributes the depression to monopoly and want of enterprise on the part of the storekeepers and trade>s, while he also complains of the Scarcity of money. Of tile latter nothing else can be expected for reasons as before stated ; but as to the other two complaints, there is nothing to justify them, although tons of flour ground by a farmer, and ottered in Queenstown at 11/. per ton, could not find, be says, a purchaser. The reasons are these : to male such a purchase would have been an unjustifiable speculation. Millers are already delivering flour at Cromwell for 1-1/. ]cr ton, which at HI. 10s. cartage and 11/. cist, would- result in a lots of 10s. per ton, reckoning noHiing for trouble, risk, and interest of money.